Atlanta’s Food Truck Scene

Across metro Atlanta, families are lining up for a taste of one of the newer trends to sweep the city. For a quick, friendly and unique dining experience that the whole family can enjoy, food truck parks are just the ticket. Some food truck efforts have blown into what seem to be regular mini festivals, complete with live music featuring local musicians. Whether you visit the popular Atlanta Food Truck Park off of Howell Mill Road, a smaller food truck park in your neck of town, or get over to Piedmont Park for the Atlanta Street Food Festival in July, an adventure awaits – and tasty fare, too.

A visit to Atlanta Food Truck Park & Market

From Southern eats to a Middle Eastern feast, the Atlanta Food Truck Park in Northwest Atlanta has it all – and families regularly show up to treat themselves to a casual lunch or dinner. This place has it all – plenty of food options, picnic tables scattered about, a small playground and a grassy field if you want to bring a blanket and dine picnic-style.
You’re guaranteed to find a selection of vendors on any given day. For mac-and-cheese lovers, myself included, the Mac the Cheese truck is among the regulars and you can customize this favorite comfort food to your tummy’s delight. You can even BYOB, as in adult beverage – or even Buster. This food park is both kid- and dog-friendly.
This year marks the one-year anniversary of the food park that occupies a former hotel site. On Thursday nights, there’s usually live music. Also, twice a month you’ll find “Taste of Art: An Artisan Showcase,” where vendors offer fresh produce and local artists sell their wares; this event takes place on the second and fourth Sunday of each month, through October. In addition, look for at least one special event each month.
On a recent visit to the Atlanta Food Truck Park, I enjoyed a hearty helping of delicious fish tacos from Fish ‘N’ Chips. Several food trucks offered yummy free samples and we made sure to try as many as possible. On any given day (except Mondays), you’ll find at least seven food trucks here, but it’s not unusual for there to be more than a dozen. Some of the “regulars” include Masala Fresh (Indian fare); Mighty Meatballs; Dogs on Wheels (hot dogs); Yum Yum Cupcake; The Filipino; 4Green Vision (fresh local produce); Little Jimmy’s Italian Ices; Atlanta Burger Truck; Nana G’s (chicken and waffles), Tex’s Taco; and Chay J’s (New Orleans gourmet confections).
Of course weather plays a big role in the park’s operation. If it’s raining, the park is generally not open. Before you go, always check the park’s Facebook page (“Atlanta Food Truck Park”) for the most up-to-date information including operation hours and to learn which food trucks will be there that day.– Jordan Lisvosky

Atlanta Street Food Festival

Piedmont Park is the spot for this year’s Atlanta Street Food Festival, a benefit for the Atlanta Community Food Bank. Grab your lawn chairs, picnic blankets and sunscreen, then head out with your little ones to the Southeast’s largest food truck gathering. The July 13 festival kicks off at noon and lasts until 8 p.m. for a full day of food trucks, music and fun. Some 25 high-end food trucks will be whipping out tasty treats all day long while local artists provide live family entertainment until the sun goes down. Visit atlantastreetfoodfestival.com for ticket information and further details.– Kirby Cooperman

Other food truck locations

Smaller food truck operations roll into neighborhoods everywhere. Here’s just a taste of some spots where you can step right up.